To Lefty From Willie [Enhanced] [Original recording remastered]

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Lefty Frizzell remains one of the most underappreciated artists in all of country-music history; therefore, it's no surprise that this little jewel of an album remains one of the most underappreciated in Nelson's vast catalog. Recorded in the peak Nelson year of 1975 (but not released until 1977), To Lefty from Willie puts his personal stamp on the Frizzell catalog while still upholding the spirit of the source material. This balancing act is tough for anyone to sustain, but Nelson has proven time and again his interpretive powers and he uses them here to great effect. With his sister Bobbie gently and elegantly dancing across the piano, he delivers some of the most moving vocals he's ever recorded, adding some delightfully understated guitar leads for good measure. Nelson's easy, natural vocal delivery--a Frizzell hallmark--is perfectly suited to these songs, and while his phrasing and tone is much different than Frizzell's was, he still hits the same emotional bull's-eyes. --Marc Greilsamer

To Lefty From Willie,Willie Nelson,Sony,Country,Country & Western,Honky Tonk,Nashville Sound/Countrypolitan,Pop,Traditional Country
To Lefty from Willie
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • An excellent tribute album
  • Fine, often overlooked, tribute to Lefty Frizzell
 To Lefty from Willie
Willie Nelson
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Country | Styles | Music
Honky-TonkHonky-Tonk | Country | Styles | Music
Nashville SoundNashville Sound | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music
Outlaw & Progressive CountryOutlaw & Progressive Country | Country | Styles | Music
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  1. Yesterday's Wine
  2. Phases and Stages
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  4. Tougher Than Leather
  5. Red Headed Stranger

ASIN: B00009VU2C
Release Date: 2003-06-24

Tracks:

  1. Mom And Dad's Waltz
  2. Look What Thoughts Will Do
  3. I Love You A Thousand Ways
  4. Always Late (With Your Kisses)
  5. I Want To Be With You Always
  6. She's Gone, Gone, Gone
  7. A Little Unfair
  8. I Never Go Around Mirrors
  9. That's The Way Love Goes
  10. Railroad Lady
  11. If You've Got The Money I've Got The Time

Amazon.com

Lefty Frizzell remains one of the most underappreciated artists in all of country-music history; therefore, it's no surprise that this little jewel of an album remains one of the most underappreciated in Nelson's vast catalog. Recorded in the peak Nelson year of 1975 (but not released until 1977), To Lefty from Willie puts his personal stamp on the Frizzell catalog while still upholding the spirit of the source material. This balancing act is tough for anyone to sustain, but Nelson has proven time and again his interpretive powers and he uses them here to great effect. With his sister Bobbie gently and elegantly dancing across the piano, he delivers some of the most moving vocals he's ever recorded, adding some delightfully understated guitar leads for good measure. Nelson's easy, natural vocal delivery--a Frizzell hallmark--is perfectly suited to these songs, and while his phrasing and tone is much different than Frizzell's was, he still hits the same emotional bull's-eyes. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars An excellent tribute album.......2004-04-18

Originally released in 1977, this album is often overlooked but it has much to commend it, not least that it helped to keep the music of Lefty Frizzell alive. It was successful at the time but, understandably, was soon eclipsed by Stardust, his brilliant 1978 album of pop standards. His 1976 album, Sound in your mind, included a cover of Lefty's classic song, If you've got the money I've got the time. It makes sense to add that song as a bonus track to this re-issue, but I understand that the version here is an alternate take. I only have the original album without that extra track so I cannot confirm it. Willie recorded some of Lefty's best-known songs together with a few less obvious songs. All of them suit Willie's style ideally.

The first five tracks (Mom and Dad's waltz, Look what thoughts will do, I love you a thousand ways, Always late with your kisses, I want to be with you always) together with If you've got the money I've got the time, were songs that established Lefty as a force in country music back in the early fifties. She's gone gone gone and A lttle unfair came later in Lefty's career. Though less successful, Willie chose well in selecting these songs to record. The remaining three songs (I never go around mirrors, That's the way love goes, Railroad lady) were songs that Lefty recorded near the end of his career in the early seventies. Without this tribute album, it is unlikely that any but Lefty's committed fans would associate these songs with him. Indeed, That's the way love goes is generally associated with Merle Haggard, whose voice is very similar to Lefty's.

Willie recorded many fine albums, some of which appeal to people who don't normally like country music. My guess is that this album will mainly appeal to traditional country fans - if you are one, buy this. If you enjoy the songs, hopefully you will eventually buy a collection of Lefty's own music.

4 out of 5 stars Fine, often overlooked, tribute to Lefty Frizzell.......2003-09-06

Nelson's 1975 tribute to Lefty Frizzell, recorded the same year as his breakthrough LP, "Red Headed Stranger," wasn't actually released until two years later. It made a reasonable commercial splash on the album charts, spun off a hit single ("I Love You a Thousand Ways"), and then largely disappeared from discussions about Nelson's ouvre. Given the fruitfulness with which Nelson recorded in the '70s ("Shotgun Willie" "Phases and Stages" "Red Headed Stranger" "Stardust" and more), it's not hard to see why this album was overshadowed.

Removed from the context of Nelson's string of ground-breaking '70s releases, this affectionate tribute reveals significant charms. Like the best of such albums, it melds elements of each artist, combining Frizzell's iconic songs (along with a few more obscure items) with Nelson's idiosyncratic style. In particular, Nelson's singing style, with its unusual phrasings and stretched notes, gives these songs an edgy modernity -- much as Frizzell's originals did in their own time.

Highlights include the hymn-like reading of "Mom and Dad's Waltz," brilliantly mixing slip-key piano, harmonica and Nelson's own gut-stringed guitar. The backing provides an emotional pulpit from which Nelson proclaims the song's sentiments. Similarly, the desperation and sadness of "Look What Thoughts Will Do" could easily have been from Nelson's own pen. Even the sunnier lyrics, such as those to "I Love You a Thousand Ways," are more wishful than positive, and, conversely, the sadness of "She's Gone, Gone, Gone" sounds more wistful than genuinely apologetic.

Nelson's fine ears also picked up a few tunes not often associated with Frizzell's own performances, including the superbly depressed "I Never Go Around Mirrors," and the resigned "That's the Way Love Goes." Legacy's remastered reissue augments the original ten cuts with a previously unreleased take of Frizzell's very first single, "If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time," and John Morthland's newly penned liner notes flesh out the story of an album that is often unjustly overlooked in Nelson's catalog.
Collection 2: Always on My Mind / To Lefty from Willie / Pancho & Lefty
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Collection 2: Always on My Mind / To Lefty from Willie / Pancho & Lefty
    Willie Nelson
    Manufacturer: Sony
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    2. Red Headed Stranger
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    ASIN: B0007X9UKG
    Release Date: 2005-04-05

    Tracks:

    1. Mom and Dad's Waltz - Willie Nelson
    2. Look What Thoughts Will Do - Willie Nelson
    3. I Love You a Thousand Ways - Willie Nelson
    4. Always Late (With Your Kisses) - Willie Nelson
    5. I Want to Be with You Always - Willie Nelson
    6. She's Gone, Gone, Gone - Willie Nelson
    7. Little Unfair - Willie Nelson
    8. I Never Go Around Mirrors (I've Got a Heartache to Hide) - Willie Nelson
    9. That's the Way Love Goes - Willie Nelson
    10. Railroad Lady - Willie Nelson
    11. If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time [#][*] - Willie Nelson

    Tracks:

    1. Pancho and Lefty - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
    2. It's My Lazy Day - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
    3. My Mary - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
    4. Half a Man - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
    5. Reasons to Quit - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
    6. No Reason to Quit - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
    7. Still Water Runs the Deepest - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
    8. My Life's Been a Pleasure - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
    9. All the Soft Places to Fall - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
    10. Opportunity to Cry - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
    11. Half a Man [#][*] - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
    12. My Own Peculiar Way [#][*] - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson

    Tracks:

    1. Do Right Woman, Do Right Man - Willie Nelson
    2. Always on My Mind - Willie Nelson
    3. Whiter Shade of Pale - Willie Nelson
    4. Let It Be Me - Willie Nelson
    5. Staring Each Other Down - Willie Nelson
    6. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Willie Nelson
    7. Old Fords and a Natural Stone - Willie Nelson
    8. Permanently Lonely - Willie Nelson
    9. Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning - Willie Nelson
    10. Party's Over - Willie Nelson
    11. Man Who Owes Everyone [#][*] - Willie Nelson
    12. I'm a Memory [#][*] - Willie Nelson
    Collection, Vol. 2: Always on My Mind/To Lefty from Willie/Pancho & Lefty
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		Collection, Vol. 2: Always on My Mind/To Lefty from Willie/Pancho & Lefty
      Willie Nelson
      Manufacturer: Sony
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

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      1. The Collection: Stardust/One for the Road/Honeysuckle Rose

      ASIN: B000BP870E
      Release Date: 2005-11-15

      Tracks:

      1. Mom and Dad's Waltz - Willie Nelson
      2. Look What Thoughts Will Do - Willie Nelson
      3. I Love You a Thousand Ways - Willie Nelson
      4. Always Late (With Your Kisses) - Willie Nelson
      5. I Want to Be with You Always - Willie Nelson
      6. She's Gone, Gone, Gone - Willie Nelson
      7. Little Unfair - Willie Nelson
      8. I Never Go Around Mirrors (I've Got a Heartache to Hide) - Willie Nelson
      9. That's the Way Love Goes - Willie Nelson
      10. Railroad Lady - Willie Nelson
      11. If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time [#][*] - Willie Nelson

      Tracks:

      1. Pancho and Lefty - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
      2. It's My Lazy Day - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
      3. My Mary - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
      4. Half a Man - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
      5. Reasons to Quit - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
      6. No Reason to Quit - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
      7. Still Water Runs the Deepest - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
      8. My Life's Been a Pleasure - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
      9. All the Soft Places to Fall - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
      10. Opportunity to Cry - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
      11. Half a Man [#][*] - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson
      12. My Own Peculiar Way [#][*] - Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson

      Tracks:

      1. Do Right Woman, Do Right Man - Willie Nelson
      2. Always on My Mind - Willie Nelson
      3. Whiter Shade of Pale - Willie Nelson
      4. Let It Be Me - Willie Nelson
      5. Staring Each Other Down - Willie Nelson
      6. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Willie Nelson
      7. Old Fords and a Natural Stone - Willie Nelson
      8. Permanently Lonely - Willie Nelson
      9. Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning - Willie Nelson
      10. Party's Over - Willie Nelson
      11. Man Who Owes Everyone [#][*] - Willie Nelson
      12. I'm a Memory [#][*] - Willie Nelson
      Red Headed Stranger/To Lefty from Willie
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        		Red Headed Stranger/To Lefty from Willie
        Willie Nelson
        Manufacturer: Sony
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        GeneralGeneral | Country | Styles | Music
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        CountryCountry | Imports | Stores | Music
        ASIN: B0000259D5
        Release Date: 2003-07-07

        Tracks:

        1. Time of the Preacher
        2. I Couldn't Believe It Was True
        3. Time of the Preacher (Theme)
        4. Blue Rock Montana/Red Headed Stranger
        5. Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain
        6. Red Headed Stranger
        7. Time of the Preacher (Theme)
        8. Just as I Am
        9. Denver
        10. O'er the Waves
        11. Down Yonder
        12. Can I Sleep in Your Arms?
        13. Remember Me (When the Candlelights Are Gleaming)
        14. Hands on the Wheel
        15. Bandera
        16. Mom and Dad's Waltz
        17. Ilook What Thoughts Will Do
        18. I Love You a Thousand Ways
        19. Always Late (With Your Kisses)
        20. I Want to Be With You Always
        21. She's Gone, Gone, Gone
        22. Little Unfair
        23. I Never Go Around Mirrors (I've Got a Heartache to Hide)
        24. That's the Way Love Goes
        25. Railroad Lady
        To Lefty from Willie
        Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
        • What she said
        • An Overlooked Gem
        		 To Lefty from Willie
        Willie Nelson
        Manufacturer: Sony
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        GeneralGeneral | Country | Styles | Music
        Outlaw & Progressive CountryOutlaw & Progressive Country | Country | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music
        CDs $7 - $10CDs $7 - $10 | Country General | Country | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
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        ASIN: B00000259Q
        Release Date: 1990-10-25

        Tracks:

        1. Mom And Dad's Waltz
        2. Look What Thoughts Will Do
        3. I Love You A Thousand Ways
        4. Always Late (With Your Kisses)
        5. I Want To Be With You Always
        6. She's Gone, Gone, Gone
        7. A Little Unfair
        8. I Never Go Around Mirrors
        9. That's The Way Love Goes
        10. Railroad Lady

        Customer Reviews:

        4 out of 5 stars What she said.......2005-04-02

        One of Willie's best efforts. Made me want to find out more about Lefty. A great introduction to a legend by a legend.

        4 out of 5 stars An Overlooked Gem.......2003-03-04

        It's hard for me to understand why no one has reviewed this loving tribute to one of Willie's idols. I've owned it since it's release and still revisit it regularly. With it's simple, uncluttered production, Willie's singing becomes the focus. He uses the trademark inflections in his voice to perfection while paying tribute to his recently fallen hero. Well worth the price for any fan of Willie's or Lefty's.
        To Lefty From Willie/Always On My Mind/Red Headed Stranger
        Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
        • To lefty from willie
        		 To Lefty From Willie/Always On My Mind/Red Headed Stranger
        Willie Nelson
        Manufacturer: Sony
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        GeneralGeneral | Country | Styles | Music
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        ASIN: B000002AKQ
        Release Date: 1997-08-12

        Tracks:

        1. Mom And Dad's Waltz
        2. Look What Thoughts Will Do
        3. I Love You A Thousand Ways
        4. Always Late (With Your Kisses)
        5. I Want To Be With You Always
        6. She's Gone, Gone, Gone
        7. A Little Unfair
        8. I Never Go Around Mirrors
        9. That's The Way Love Goes
        10. Railroad Lady

        Tracks:

        1. Do Right Woman, Do Right Man
        2. Always On My Mind
        3. A Whiter Shade Of Pale
        4. Let It Be Me
        5. Staring Each Other Down
        6. Bridge Over Troubled Water
        7. Old Fords And A Natural Stone
        8. Permanently Lonely
        9. Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning
        10. The Party's Over

        Tracks:

        1. Time Of The Preacher
        2. I Couldn't Believe It Was True
        3. Time Of The Preacher Theme
        4. Medley: Blue Rock Montana/ Red Headed Stranger
        5. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain
        6. Red Headed Stranger
        7. Time Of The Preacher Theme
        8. Just As I Am
        9. Denver
        10. O'er The Waves
        11. Down Yonder
        12. Can I Sleep In Your Arms
        13. Remember Me
        14. Hands On The Wheel
        15. Bandera

        Customer Reviews:

        5 out of 5 stars To lefty from willie.......2000-02-24

        willie nelson is the greatest singer that ever lived and the recordings that are shown here are the most complete selection of his songs. Although Willie is the most remarkable musician it is hard to find his music, it is nice to have access to them all.
        Red Headed Stranger/To Lefty from Willie
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          		Red Headed Stranger/To Lefty from Willie
          Willie Nelson
          Manufacturer: Musicrama/Koch
          ProductGroup: Music
          Binding: Audio CD

          GeneralGeneral | Country | Styles | Music
          GeneralGeneral | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music
          CountryCountry | Imports | Stores | Music
          ASIN: B00004RJOF
          Release Date: 2000-03-28

          Tracks:

          1. Time of the Preacher
          2. I Couldn't Believe It Was True
          3. Time of the Preacher (Theme)
          4. Blue Rock Montana/Red Headed Stranger
          5. Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain
          6. Red Headed Stranger
          7. Time of the Preacher (Theme)
          8. Just as I Am
          9. Denver
          10. O'er the Waves
          11. Down Yonder
          12. Can I Sleep in Your Arms?
          13. Remember Me (When the Candlelights Are Gleaming)
          14. Hands on the Wheel
          15. Bandera
          16. Mom and Dad's Waltz
          17. Ilook What Thoughts Will Do
          18. I Love You a Thousand Ways
          19. Always Late (With Your Kisses)
          20. I Want to Be With You Always
          21. She's Gone, Gone, Gone
          22. Little Unfair
          23. I Never Go Around Mirrors (I've Got a Heartache to Hide)
          24. That's the Way Love Goes
          25. Railroad Lady
          To Lefty from Willie/on My Min
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            		To Lefty from Willie/on My Min
            Willie Nelson
            Manufacturer: Sony/Columbia
            ProductGroup: Music
            Binding: Audio CD

            GeneralGeneral | Country | Styles | Music
            Outlaw & Progressive CountryOutlaw & Progressive Country | Country | Styles | Music
            GeneralGeneral | Country | Box Sets | Stores | Music
            ASIN: B00005RGN6
            Release Date: 2001-10-09
            To Lefty from Willie/Red Headed Stran
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              		To Lefty from Willie/Red Headed Stran
              Willie Nelson
              Manufacturer: Import Records
              ProductGroup: Music
              Binding: Audio CD

              GeneralGeneral | Country | Styles | Music
              ASIN: B0002B6TO8
              Release Date: 2003-02-04

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